Draft gear



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,222

W. H. COTTON DRAFT GEAR Filed Aug-29, 1923 2 $heets-$heet 1 [revere 02Aug. 21, 1928.

w. H. COTTO N DRAFT GEAR Filed Aug. 29, 1923 I Walter/Y (b65072 2Sheets-Shet 2 in van ea-r:

Fig. 4 is-a Patented Aug. 21 1928.

*um'rsn STATESPATENT OFFICE;

WALTER 3. common, or cnrcaeo, ILLINo1s,-Assmnon T UNION DRAFT GEAR com-PANY, or "cnrcne xnmnors, A CORPORATION or E AWAR 111mm: GEAR.

vApplication filed August 29, 1923. Serla1N'0.659,866.

The invention relates to draft gears for railway cars, of thetype inwhich friction developed between parts having a turning movement aboutthe axis of the gear.

The objects of the invention are to secure high efficiency, simplicityofconstruction, and durability. r I a The invention consists in astructure such as is hereinafterhdescribe'd and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central plan section of thegear, details of parts of a car being shown inplan;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the gear being compressed, someof its partsbeing shown 16 in plan and portionsbeing brokenaway to clearly showpositions assumed by enclosed parts;

Fig. 3 is a detailsectionon the line 3'-3 of Fig. 1 l q faceview of a,lion-rotative ele "ment of the gear and of a spring element housedtherein;

Fig. 5is a facev elements of the gear, showing the spring p0cket;and

Fig. 6 is an edge view of one of the rotative' and one of the nonrotative elements of the gear, showing their relation in releasepositionp r p I i A pair of center or draft 'sills of a railway car areshown at 10, 10, each being provided with the usual draft lugs 11, l1,and buffing lugs 12, 12, The buttendof a coupleris rep-' resented at 13,and its extension, tail-strap or The gear is inclosed within the. yokeelement'14, and comprises apair. of chambered followers 15,116, forcooperating, respectively,

withthe draft and buffing lugs. The body or shell 17: of each of thefollowerszhasacylindrical bore, having, however, longitudinal recesses,preferably atthe top and bottom, as

"shown at 18, 19, andis: ofsuch length that the bodies of the twofollowers meet to limit the compressive movement of the gear,

The inner'face of each of the followers is provided with an annularseries of teeth, as

'20, preferably, formed integral therewith,

each having an. inclined face, as21, serving as an inclined plane :or.wedging surface.

Housed within the barrel'of each follower is? a series of non-rotativeelements, as 22', 23, each. beingprovided'with an annular series ofteeth'24, 25, of. the. same form as the teeth An elongated.non-rotativeelement" 26 iew of one of the rotative All of the rotativeelements,as 29, andnonfits within the acent ends ofthe shells of bothfollowers. Each of the .non-rotative elements 22, 23 and 26 is providedwith lateral lugs 27, 28, which fit within the recesses 18, 19.

interposed between the. end walls of each follower and the non-rotativeelement 22, be-

tween thetoothed face of the latter elementand the smooth face of theelement 23, and between the toothed face of the latter element and theend of the element 26, are rotative' rings 29,30 and 31, each having anannular series of teeth complementaryto and engage able'with the teethof the adjacent element.

\vithln'the plane face of each of the'rotative and non-rotative elementsthere is formed a segmental channel 32,33, of such length as to almostform a completecircle,

these channels being so disposed that those of ad acentelementsfregister. .Inclosed within the registering channels of eachpairof r0- tative and non-rotative elements is a segmental spring 34, theends of which abut against the ends of the channels. The nor- ;maldiameter of the segmental springs is somewhat less than the maximumdiameter of the channels.

The elements 22, 23, 26, 2 9, i30 and 31 are annular in form, providingan axial chamber fromend to end of the gear within which there is houseda releasing spring 35, reacting between the end fwallsof the twofollowers. j

The follower casings may be provided with apertured radial lugs, as .36,37, forthe accommodation of retaining bolts 38, which serve to hold thegear parts in assembled relationduring shipment and installation. Thesebolts may be removed when the gearis installed.

rotative elements, as 22, 26, are axially movable with reference to thefollower casings,

In release position of the gear the apexes of the-teeth ofthe rotativeelements are in engagement with theteeth of the non-rotativ'e' elementsnear the Yapexes thereof. Axial movement of the enclosed parts impliesthe sliding] of the teeth of the rotative elements" downthe inclinedsurfaces of the teeth ofrthe non-rotative elements.

Movement of either ofthe followers under the influence of draft 'orbuifing stresses causes a turning movement of the rotative element, as29, associated'therewith,by the ivedgingcaction of the interengagedteeth of interposed between the followers and capable of longitudinalmovement relatively thereto, and friction and spring means for resistingturning movement of the rotative element.

9. In a draft gear, in combination, a chambered follower, a rotativeelement within the chamber having an annular series of wedgesfacesformed on 1ts radial face, a complementary series of wedges cooperatingwith the first'named series and secured against rotative movement,spring means for opposing turning movement of the rotative element. andmeans for resisting axial movement of such element.

10. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of chambered followers,pairs of disk shaped elements housed within each follower, the membersof each pair having cooperating wedging teeth arranged annularly, onemember of each pair being non-rotative and the other member being freeto turn, and spring means reacting between such members for resistingtheir relative turning movement.

11. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers. a pairof elements interposed between the followers and having contacting facestransverse to the axis of the gear, such faces being provided withcooperating annularly arranged series of wedges, one of such elementsbeing 'rotative' and the other being non-rotative, spring means opposingthe turning movement of the rotative element, and means opposing axialmovement of said elements. p

12. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, a pairof relatively rotatable disk shaped elements located be tween thefollowers, the contiguous faces of such elements being provided withannularly disposed cooperating wedges, means foropposing the relativeturning movement of the disk elements, and means resisting the axialmovement thereof.

13. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of chambered followers, aplurality of frictionally engaged annular elements housed within eachfollower, adjacent elements being relatively revoluble, alternate pairsof contacting faces of such elements being respectively plain andprovided with cooperating annularly arranged series of wedges, springsreacting between adjacent elements for resisting the relative turningmovement thereof, an annular cylindrical element interposed between thetwo sets ofthe first named elements and, being housed within bothfollowers, and a spring on the axis of the gear'reacting between thefollowers.

WALTER H. COTTON.

